▻ Omnibus XXXVIII
Episode Summary:-
In this month’s Omnibus we look at a myriad of diverse stories from the world of wine. First up the fall-out from the Bordeaux 2024 En Primeur campaign, where many producers did not sell a bottle. Leading Bordeaux critic Neil Martin of Vinous has published an article stating that the percentage price drops for this year’s campaign were not enough. Sarah Kemp and John Stimpfig discuss the issue. Next, John reports on the latest harvest from Chile and Argentina, and declares there is good news there for wine consumers with positive reports coming in.
Aluminium bottles are starting to appear on US and UK wine shelves, albeit in small numbers. John discusses their advantages which include being recyclable, unbreakable, and all importantly sustainable as they weigh five times less than a glass bottle. The Wine Conversation welcomes the trend for mass produced wine.
This episode contains the very sad news of the deaths of Frederic Panaïotis, the brilliant cellar master of Champagne Ruinart who died in a freak diving accident at the age of 61 years old. Also remembered is the dynamic Burgundian vintner Nicolas Potel. John looks back on their extraordinary contributions to the wine world, two men who left us far too young. He also discusses the legacy of Richard Smart, who had a world-wide impact on viticulture and died at the age of 80 years’ old. Over in the US, Elin looks back fondly on the life of Carl Domani of Stags’ Leap Winery, a man of many talents, who used to hold poetry weekends at his property and pay his winemaker in art and wine.
Sarah and John wish May-Eliane de Lencquesaing a very happy 100th Birthday and discuss this remarkable woman who was one of Bordeaux’s great ambassadors at Château Pichon Lalande and now is the proud owner of Glenelly in South Africa.
Bill Koch sale at Christie’s was the largest most expensive single-owner sale in history, with over 1500 lots of stellar wines. Elin reports on the sale and Bill Koch’s fight against counterfeit wine. Elin’s final reports are on investing; investing in wine – with the latest trends - and investing in fun. The investing in fun is a new initiative from two wineries who have come up with the idea of inviting wine lovers to dinner. Bella Oaks in Napa Valley has designed a six-course dinner party that’s a tribute to original owners Belle and Barney Rhodes whilst Luke Evnin and Deann Wright of Annulus Cellars are hosting dinners in their Manhattan home with their themed dinners “Napa in New York”. Elin detects the start of a trend, and a very welcome one.
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 18.01
“Bordeaux 2024- it’s gone down like a lead balloon despite price cuts”
– The fall-out of the Bordeaux 2024 campaign.
– Latest vintage from Chile and Argentina.
– Aluminium wine bottles. -
18.02 – 31.04
“She (May-Eliane de Lencquesaing) was one of Bordeaux’ greatest ambassadors”
– John looks back on the lives of Frederic Panaïotis, Nicolas Potel, Richard Smart.
– May-Eliane de Lencquesaing celebrates her 100th birthday. -
31.05 – 56.29
“He employed the FBI, MI6, CIA and a nuclear physicist” – Elin McCoy on Bill Koch
– Elin McCoy remembers Carl Domani of Stags’ Leap Winery.
– Bill Koch’s sale at Christie’s – largest private wine sale ever.
– Bill Koch’s fight against counterfeit wine. -
56.30 – 01.16
“Belle Rhodes’s journals have every dinner the Rhodes hosted, what they’d eaten, people attended, wine served”
– Latest trends in investing in wine.
– The new trend of wineries hosting dinner parties, pioneered by Bella Oaks and Annulus Cellars.
This month we look at the 2025 harvest in Europe and North America, find out why Chablis is selling out in the US, and discover the latest research presented at The Old Vines Conference, plus the industry hits back at the anti-alcohol lobby and much more.